Electrical clutch and brake mechanism.



`LTO/744,423.

PATENTED Nov. 17, 1903'.

A. E. STECKEL.v ELECTRICAL CLUTCH AND BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 3, 1903.

`l l IIIIII IIII l N0 MODEL.

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No. 744.423. PATLNTED Nov. 17, 1903.

A..P. STLGKEL.

ELECTRICAL CLUTCH AND BRAKE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE s, 190s.

No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Miesses, IRUe/@/;

Wfw. mm

TH: Nonms PETERS 60 maremma.. WASHINGTON. o. c,

UNITED STATES iatented November 17, 1905.

ABRAM P. sTEcKEL, or BUFFALO, NEW Yoan.

ELCTRICAL CLUTCH NI) BRAKE MECHANiSNl.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 744,423, dated November 17', 1903.

v Application filed June 3,1903. Serial No. 159,879- (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAM P. STECKEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Clutch and Brake Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electrical clutch and brake mechanism which is intended for starting, stopping, and reversing an element driven from a drive-shaft or element which rotates constantly in one direction. The mechanism is more particularly intended for operating the reciprocating beds or tables of rolling-mills, planers, and similar machines, but is also useful in other connections.

One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of the character described whereby the driven element can be rapidly started, stopped, and reversed without shock or injury to any of the parts of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide the clutches and brake with controlling means which renders it impossible to reverse the driven element except after the brake has been applied to retard the movement of the driven element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a powerful electrical clutch or brake of simple and practical construction.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets, Figure l is a plan View of an electrical clutch and brake mechanism embodying the invention. nal sectional elevation thereof, on an enlarged scale, in line 2 2, Fig. l, and showing diagrammatically the clutch and brake controlling means. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the clutches. Fig. l is a section through the driveshaft, showing the clutch in elevation.

Like letters of reference referto like parts in the several figures.

B represents a drive-shaft which is supported in suitable bearings and rotated continuously in one direction by a prime mover, and O is a shaft which is adapted to be driven in either direction from the drive-shaft. ln the construction shown the driveshaft is journaled in suitable bearings in a casing A, which is supported on a bed l and incloses Fig. 2 is a longitudi' the driving-motor (not shown) for the driveshaft, and the driven shaft is journaled in suitable bearings Q R on the bed l. The drive-shaft is provided with two electrical induction-clutches consisting of members S S2, which are loose upon the shaft, and members U U2, which are fixed to the shaft to rotate therewith by keys E F, or otherwise. The loose clutch members are caused to rotate with the fixed clutch members when the clutches are energized by the passage of an electric current through the same. The loose clutch members are operatively connected to the driven shaft by suitable gearing, so that when the loose member S' is coupled to the drive-shaft the driven shaft is rotated in one direction, and when the other loose clutch member S2 is coupled to the drive-shaft the driven shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. In the construction shown the loose clutch members are respectively provided with or secured to gear-pinions D G, which respectively mesh with an internal gear-wheel N and a gear-wheel l), secured to the driven shaft.

S3 U3 represent the two members of an electrical induction-brake,the member S3 of which is loosely mounted on the drive-shaft l to rotate relative thereto and is fixed to the gear-pinion G, while the other member US is fixed to a suitable stationary support or sta-ndn ard H and preferably constitutes a bearing for the drive-shaft B.

The two clutches and the brake are alike, and each is constructed as follows, (see particularly Figs. 3 and 4:) The member U of the clutch, which is fixed to the drive-shaft, is in the form of an iron spool having end iianges between which is located a coilor winding W', of insulated wire. One flange is preferably detachably secured tothe body of the spool to facilitate the winding of the coil upon the same. The two flanges of the spool are provided with outwardly-projecting radial portions or pole-pieces u, the outer ends of which extend toward each other and are separated by an intervening air-space. rllie terminals of the winding W are connected to insulated collector-rings Y r on the hub of the fixed member U. The member S of the clutch consists, preferably, of a spider or hub and spokes, to the outer portion of which KCC) is secured a metal ring T'. This ring is located in the space between the inwardly-projecting outer ends of the pole-pieces and is arranged in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the clutch. When the clutch is energized or magnetized by the passage of an electric current through its coil, any relative motion between the ring T and the magnetic polepieces sets up currents in the ring in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4e, and the reaction of these currents on the magnetic pole -pieces produces a force which tends to resist any relative motion between the ring` and pole-pieces or to hold the two parts of the clutch relatively fixed, thus in the case of the clutches causing` the loose members to rotate with the shaft and fixed members and in the case of the brake to arrest or stop the rotation of the movable member. The ring T' is preferably made of copper on account of its high conductivity, also for the reason that, conducting-as it does alternating currents, it has less self-induction than does a ring or disk containing iron, and as self-induction tends to demagnetize the clutch its action is stronger when the copper ring is employed. `With the ring T of the movable clutch member located in a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation its expansion under the influence of heat and contraction have little or no appreciable effect in increasing or decreasing the air-gap between the ring or disk and the pole-pieces. rihe action of the clutch is therefore more even and reliable. The radial pole-pieces of the clutch when rotating act as fan-blades, and as the air is not confined at the outer ends of the pole-pieces and spokes of the loose clutch member the pole-pieces cause strong currents of air to pass outwardly across the opposite faces of the ring or disk, thereby keeping the latter, as well as the winding of the clutch, cool. These results are not attainable in a construction where one clutch member has a cylindrical shell surrounding or inclosing the other member. in the described construction, furthermore, the loose member of the clutch is light, thereby lessening its momentum and inertia and enabling` a much quicker starting and stopping thereof and of the part driven thereby.

The clutches and brake are provided with electrical controlling means, whereby either of the clutches or the. brake can be thrown into and out of action separately, and the controlling means is preferably so arranged that the brake is energized and brought into action to retard the driven shaft after either clutch is deenergized and before the other clutch can be brought into action to reverse the driven shaft. VThe controlling means shown in the drawings for this purpose is as follows: j represents a switch-lever, which is connected to the wirej of an electric circuit K, L, and M represent three contactpieces against which the switch lever is adapted to be moved and which are respectivel7 connected by wires 7c, Z, and m with 011e terminal of the windings of the two clutches and brake. rlhe other wire of the electric circuit is connected by branch wires 7c', l', and m, respectively, with the other terminals of the windings of said clutches and brake. The branch wires leading to the clutches are provided with suitable brushes contacting with the collector-rings Y' Z/ Y2 Z2, carried by the fixed members U' U2 of the clutches. Vhen the switch-lever is in engagement with the contact K, the current passes from the wirej through the switch-lever, contact K, and wire 7o, winding lV' of the clutch S, U', and wire 7c back to the wirej2. The clutch S' U is thus energized and the driven shaft rotated in one direction. When the lever is moved into engagement with the contact L, the current passes from wire j through. said lever, the wire Z, winding WW of the brake, and wire Z back to the main-circuit wire'y'2, thus energizing the brake and retarding the movement of the driven shaft. .Vhen the lever is moved into engagement with the contact M, the current passes from wire j' through said switch-lever, wire m, winding W2 of the clutch S2 U2, and wire m/ back to the main-circuit wire j2, thereby energizing said clutch and rotating the driven shaft in the opposite direction. rlhe contact L for the brake is arranged-between the contacts K M for the two clutches, so that the switch-lever is necessarily engaged with said contact L in moving the same in either direction from one clutchcontact to the other. The rotation of the driven shaft cannot therefore be reversed until after the brake is brought into action and the shaft retarded.

l claim as my inventionl. The combination of a driving element, two electrical clutches having members connected to rotate with said driving element, and coperating loose members, a driven element, drive connections between one of said loose clutch members and said driven element to move the latter in one direction, drive connections between said other loose clutch member and said driven element to move the latter in the opposite direction, an electrical brake having a xed member and av member connected to said driven element, and controlling means which operates to alternately energize a clutch and the brake, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a drive-shaft, two electrical clutches having members fixed to rotate with said shaft, and cooperating members loose on said shaft, a driven shaft, gearing connecting one of said loose clutch members and said driven shaft to rotate the latter in one direction, gearing connecting the other loose clutch member and said driven shaft to rotate the latter in the opposite direction, an electrical brake having a fixed member and a member loose on said driveshaft and connected to one of said loose clutch members, and controlling means which oper-- ICO IIO

ates to alternately energize a clutch and the brake, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a driveshaft, two electrical clutches having membersxed to rotate with said shaft, and cooperating members loose on said shaft, pinions loose on said shaft and connected to said loose clutch meinbers, a driven shaft, an internal gear-wheel secured to said driven shaft and meshing with one of said pinions, a gear-Wheel on said driven shaft and meshing with said other pinion, an electrical brake having a stationary member in which said drive-shaft bears, a coperating member loosely mounted on said drive-shaft and connected to one of said pinions, and controlling means which operates to energize one clutch, then the brake and then the other clutch, substantially as set forth.

4. An electrical induction clutch or brake comprising a member having oppositely-disposed radial pole-pieces separated by an intervening space, an electrical winding between said pole-pieces, and a second member which is movable relative to said first member and is provided with a ring arranged between said oppositely-disposed pole-pieces in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said second member, substantially as set forth.

5. An electrical induction clutch or brake comprising a spool member having radial pole-pieces at its opposite ends which are separated by an intervening space, an electrical winding on said spool between said polepieces, and a second member which is rotatable relative to said first member and consists of a spider provided with a copper ring which is arranged between said pole-pieces at opposite ends of said spool in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said second member, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 29th day of May, 1903.

ABRAM P. STECKEL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. PARKER, JNO. J. BoNNER. 

